The present invention relates generally to the inspection of areas which are hard-to-read, inaccessible or uninhabitable for humans. More specifically, the invention relates to the inspection of manholes and the lateral pipes radiating therefrom.
It is often necessary to inspect areas under conditions which render them inaccessible or otherwise uninhabitable by humans over an extended period. These conditions include, for example, small confined spaces, lack of air/oxygen, presence of toxins, radioactivity, contamination, excessive dust, dirt and filth, and high noise levels. These conditions can be found in areas common to storm and sewer pipes, nuclear reactors and containments, fossil fuel plants and petrochemical refining facilities just to name a few. Although the need for inspection and the problems associated with these areas varies, the inconvenient and time-consuming nature of performing the inspection remains a constant.
For illustrative purposes the inspection of storm and sewer pipes is considered in detail, although the scope of the present inventor is by no means limited to this application. Most municipalities contain a vast network of storm and sewer pipes which often represent the oldest infrastructure in the community. Periodically, these pipes must be inspected for problems such as cracks, blockage, build-up, and root infiltration. If a problem is detected, detailed images must be obtained pursuant to formulating a plan to remedy the situation. To this end, it is common for an invasive device such as a pipe crawler or push camera to be introduced into the pipe to perform the inspection and, at the same time, to obtain details of any problem encountered.
Although effective in obtaining detailed images, using a pipe crawler is inconvenient and requires a great deal of time to set up and operate even if no problem is discovered. In other words, the pipe crawler obtains detailed information regardless of whether a problem exists. Thus, the conventional approach tends to be superfluous in most cases. In addition to being superfluous, pipe crawlers frequently are limited by the pipes they physically can enter and require a great deal of control circuitry which adds cost and complexity to the inspection process.
Therefore, there is a need for a more convenient approach to inspect underground pipes without the time and complexity of using a pipe crawler or push camera. The present invention fulfills this need among others.
The present invention provides for a quick and convenient approach to ascertain the condition of an inaccessible or uninhabitable area before initiating a more comprehensive inspection. More specifically, rather than physically entering the area to be inspected with a robotic or push camera, a self-contained, highly-maneuverable, hand-held inspection system is positioned with the area in its field of view and then is zoomed in to obtain an image at the desired magnification. Thus, the device obtains images of inaccessible or uninhabitable areas by maneuvering an imaging device and using its magnification capabilities rather than by physically entering the area.
Once the images are obtained, an analysis may be performed to determine whether problems such as cracks, blockage, and root infiltration exist. The images obtained preferably are in a readily-transmitted form, such as a bit-map, thereby allowing them to be transmitted for off-site analysis if need be. If no problem is detected, then the device can be moved quickly to another area to perform another inspection. On the other hand, if a problem is detected, a pipe crawler or other invasive type of inspection may be performed to obtain the details necessary to remedy the situation. This way, the time of setting up and operating a pipe crawler or similar device is not wasted on areas that are in acceptable condition.
To facilitate the inspection approach described above, several attributes of an inspection system have been identified. First, the device should be capable of performing an inspection both close up and from a distance, and, thus, should have a relatively-high magnification ratio and a tolerance to low-light conditions. Second, the inspection system should be self-contained. To this end, its power supply, operator""s control, and monitoring/recording should be portable, preferably, carried on the user performing the inspection. Being self-contained, the device is not encumbered with power cords or control leads. Third, the device should be highly maneuverable to position it such that the subject matter is in its field of view. Properties that add to maneuverability include, for example, light weight, conveniently situated controls, and means for positioning the imaging portion of the device. An extended boom, for example, allows the device to be inserted into difficult-to-reach areas. Fourth, the images obtained should be readily available for review and analysis to determine whether a more comprehensive inspection is warranted. Preferably, a digital framegrabber is used to transform the image into a readily-transmitted medium, which, for example, can be transmitted via e-mail anywhere in the world for off-site analysis. Fifth, the device should be durable to withstand harsh environments and rugged use. The preferred device thus has no external wiring and is sealed to render it waterproof.
Accordingly, one aspect of the invention is a system having one or more of the above-referenced attributes for performing an inspection as described above. In a preferred embodiment, the system comprises: (a) an imaging system having an imaging device for transmitting an electrical signal corresponding to an area being imaged, and magnification functionality adapted to magnify the imaged area; (b) a portable support system for providing functional support to the imaging system and having a power supply for supplying power to the imaging system, a controller for controlling the magnification functionality of the imaging device, and an image output device for outputting the image based on the electrical signal; and (c) a positioning system connected to the imaging system and adapted for moving the imaging system independently of the support system.
Another aspect of the invention is a method of using the inspection system for performing an initial inspection of an area where close up inspection is undesirable, inconvenient or impractical. In a preferred embodiment, the inspection comprises: (a) positioning the imaging system described above independently of the support system such that the field of view of the imaging system contains the area to be imaged while at a first magnification level; (b) imaging the area at a second magnification level greater than the first magnification level; and (c) outputting an image of the area.
The method of the present invention is particularly applicable to inspecting sewer and storm pipes which are accessible through a manhole; In a preferred embodiment, inspecting storm and sewer comprises: (a) extending an imaging system into a manhole; (b) imaging the interior of the manhole at a first magnification level; (c) locating a lateral pipe connected to the manhole; and (d) imaging the interior of the lateral pipe at a second magnification level greater than the first level.